Container cap securing and venting

Abstract

In consumer-market containers for beverages or other contents under pressure, the cap provides a gas-tight seal by way of two mechanisms that work interdependently. The first is a pressure grip configured to grip at least one of a) the inside wall of the container and, b) the outside wall of the container. The second is twist threads, or some other second attachment structure, that urges the inside of the cap (or, typically, a cap liner disposed thereon) against the rim of the container. Release of pressurized gases when the container is first opened can be by way of release vents in the cap, or via the bottom of the cap through the twist thread area. In the latter case, particular configurations of the pressure grip are relied on to establish the gas escape path.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A manufactured product comprising
 a container having a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and having twist threads on the sidewall, 
 a cap including a top end covering a rim of the opening, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engaged with the twist threads of the container, and a pressure grip affixed to the cap so that the pressure grip rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, at least a portion of the pressure grip being in binding contact with the sidewall of the container, and 
 pressurized contents within the container that exert a gas-induced internal force on an underside of the cap's top end, 
 wherein the cap is in an initial position that seals the contents in the container, 
 wherein the pressure grip includes a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap, 
 wherein the pressure grip, the twist threads of the container and the twist threads of the cap are configured in such a way that they each contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas-induced internal force and holds said cap onto said container as to prevent at least a) dislodgement of said cap and b) substantial escape of contents from said container, and 
 wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the pressure grip. 
 
     
     
       2. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip is in the form of a ring. 
     
     
       3. The manufactured product of  claim 2  wherein the pressure grip is disposed on the inner sidewall of the cap above the twist threads and wherein the pressure grip grips an outer surface of the container sidewall. 
     
     
       4. The manufactured product of  claim 2  wherein the pressure grip is spaced apart from the sidewall of the cap and grips an inner surface of the container sidewall. 
     
     
       5. The manufactured product of  claim 4  wherein the pressure grip is formed in such a way that gas can enter a space that is formed between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container upon the cap being untwisted to a position at which the gas is no longer sealed within the container by the cap. 
     
     
       6. The manufactured product of  claim 5  wherein the pressure grip is formed to have one or more pressure grip vents through which gas can enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container. 
     
     
       7. The manufactured product of  claim 6  wherein the pressure grip vents are holes in the pressure grip. 
     
     
       8. The manufactured product of  claim 6  wherein the pressure grip is formed to have one or more channels, each channel having open upper and lower ends in communication with the interior of the container so that gas can enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container through the one or more channels. 
     
     
       9. The manufactured product of  claim 8  wherein the one or more channels extend through respective protrusions on an outer surface of the pressure grip. 
     
     
       10. The manufactured product of  claim 5  wherein the pressure grip is formed in such a way that a lower portion of the pressure grip is spaced apart from the container inner wall so that when the cap is untwisted to said position at which the gas is no longer sealed within the container by the cap, gas can pass between an outer surface of the pressure grip and the inner surface of the container to enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container. 
     
     
       11. The manufactured product of  claim 5  wherein the cap includes cap vents through which gas in said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container can escape from the manufactured product. 
     
     
       12. The manufactured product of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the container twist threads and the cap twist threads is configured in such a way that gas in said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container can escape from the manufactured product. 
     
     
       13. The manufactured product of  claim 2  wherein the pressure grip includes protrusions by which the pressure grip grips a surface of the container sidewall. 
     
     
       14. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip is in the form of a puck which comprises
 a sidewall that is spaced apart from the sidewall of the cap and that grips an inner surface of the container sidewall, and 
 a bottom surface. 
 
     
     
       15. The manufactured product of  claim 14  wherein the puck is hollow. 
     
     
       16. The manufactured product of  claim 14  wherein the puck is gas-filled. 
     
     
       17. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the top surface of the cap is concave. 
     
     
       18. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the maximum amount of opening torque required to twist the cap from the initial position is about 2.0 to 3.5 newton-meters. 
     
     
       19. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip includes an inner grip portion that is spaced apart from the sidewall of the cap and grips an inner surface of the container sidewall, and
 an outer grip portion disposed on the inner sidewall of the cap above the twist threads, wherein the outer grip portion grips an outer surface of the container sidewall. 
 
     
     
       20. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip has a flat bottom. 
     
     
       21. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip has a rounded bottom. 
     
     
       22. The manufactured product of  claim 1  wherein the pressure grip has a concave or convex bottom. 
     
     
       23. The manufactured product of  claim 1 , wherein the container opening (inner dimension) is 30.5 mm or greater. 
     
     
       24. The manufactured product of  claim 1 , wherein the force on the cap is 34 lb or greater. 
     
     
       25. A manufactured product comprising
 a container having a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and having twist threads on the sidewall, 
 a cap including a top end covering the rim of the opening, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engaged with the twist threads of the container, and a circular member affixed to the cap so that the circular member rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, and 
 contents under gas pressure within the container, 
 wherein the cap is in an initial position that seals the contents in the container, 
 wherein the circular member includes a portion spaced apart from the sidewall of the cap and a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap, 
 wherein at least a portion of the circular member bindingly contacts an inner surface of the container sidewall to contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas pressure and holds said cap onto said container, 
 wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the circular member, and 
 wherein the circular member is formed in such a way that gas can enter a space that is formed between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container upon the cap being untwisted to a position at which the gas is no longer sealed within the container by the cap. 
 
     
     
       26. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member is formed to have one or more circular member vents through which gas can enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container. 
     
     
       27. The manufactured product of  claim 26  wherein the circular member vents are holes in the circular member. 
     
     
       28. The manufactured product of  claim 26  wherein the circular member is formed to have one or more channels, each channel having open upper and lower ends in communication with the interior of the container so that gas can enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container through the one or more channels. 
     
     
       29. The manufactured product of  claim 28  wherein the one or more channels extend through respective protrusions on an outer surface of the circular member. 
     
     
       30. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member is formed in such a way that a lower portion of the circular member is spaced apart from the container inner wall so that when the cap is untwisted to said position at which the gas is no longer sealed within the container by the cap, gas can pass between an outer surface of the circular member and the inner surface of the container to enter said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container. 
     
     
       31. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the cap includes cap vents through which gas in said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container can escape from the manufactured product. 
     
     
       32. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein at least one of the container twist threads and the cap twist threads is configured in such a way that gas in said space between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container can escape from the manufactured product. 
     
     
       33. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein at least two of the container twist threads are configured as twist arcs to assist at least two lugs on the container sidewall and said lugs can engage with engagement features inside the cap to provide holding force. 
     
     
       34. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member may take on any variety of geometric shapes and wherein the circular member is formed in such a way that points of the shape that come into contact with an inner surface of the container sidewall are arcs and thus form a circular member visually as viewed from underneath the cap. 
     
     
       35. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member has a flat bottom. 
     
     
       36. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member has a rounded bottom. 
     
     
       37. The manufactured product of  claim 25  wherein the circular member has a concave or convex bottom. 
     
     
       38. The manufactured product of  claim 25 , wherein the container opening (inner dimension) is 30.5 mm or greater. 
     
     
       39. The manufactured product of  claim 25 , wherein the force on the cap is 34 lb or greater. 
     
     
       40. A twist cap configured to seal a substance within a container when the twist cap has been twisted to a sealing position onto the container, the container being of a type that has a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and twist threads on the sidewall, the twist cap including a top end that covers the rim of the opening when the twist cap is twisted onto the container, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engageable with the twist threads of the container when the twist cap is twisted onto the container, and a pressure grip affixed to the cap so that the pressure grip rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, the pressure grip being configured in such a way that at least a portion of the pressure grip is in binding contact with the sidewall of the container when the twist cap has been twisted onto the container,
 wherein the pressure grip includes a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap, 
 wherein the pressure grip and the twist threads of the twist cap are configured in such a way that when a gas-induced force from within the container is applied against an underside of the cap's top end, the pressure grip and the twist threads each contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas-induced force and holds said cap onto said container, and 
 wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the pressure grip. 
 
     
     
       41. The twist cap of  claim 40  wherein the pressure grip has a flat bottom. 
     
     
       42. The twist cap of  claim 40  wherein the pressure grip has a rounded bottom. 
     
     
       43. The twist cap of  claim 40  wherein the pressure grip has a concave or convex bottom. 
     
     
       44. The twist cap of  claim 40 , wherein the cap size is 38 mm or greater. 
     
     
       45. The twist cap of  claim 40 , wherein the radius of the cap (inner dimension) is 0.6 inches or greater. 
     
     
       46. The twist cap of  claim 40 , wherein the force on the cap is 34 lb or greater.